"Who knows if you can become Mrs. Nichols? Paying upfront is our standard procedure here," sneered the man, his voice dripping with malice. "Not a cent less. Otherwise, I'll cut your fingers off one by one."Shelia panicked, speaking with feigned composure. "I only have 100 thousand dollars on me right now. But don't you know about the Nichols family? If you kill me, you're killing their future heir in my womb."Her words made the man hesitate. Shelia pressed her advantage and continued, "Think about it. Juan and his wife have long been at odds. As soon as you take care of her, I can leverage my pregnancy to become Mrs. Nichols. How much more money would that bring you? I promise you, once I marry Juan, I'll give you not just one million dollars, but two million.""Words are cheap. You must sign and seal," he said, taking out a document from his pocket.One of his accomplices scribbled something on it and placed it before Shelia. She scanned the paper, her face turning pale as she
"Madam, Mr. Nichols sent us to pick you up. Please, come with us," the driver said politely.Debra looked over and found him unfamiliar. "Where's Joe?""Joe had something to handle, so I came instead," the driver replied, his tone respectful yet hurried.Debra pressed further, "I don't think I've seen you before.""I'm new, ma'am. Just hired," he explained."With Juan hiring new drivers, how would I not know?" Debra mused.Only Juan required a dedicated driver in the entire company. Before today, only Joe had filled that role. Even when Joe wasn't available, one of the other company drivers would step in. She had never seen this man before.The driver faltered, unsure of how to respond, but he swiftly moved to open the car door for her. She leaned in, peeking through the car window, and spotted a man's silhouette in the backseat.Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her from behind. A rough hand clamped a cloth over her mouth and nose.Debra's eyes widened in shock as a gruff
In Seamar City, few dared to cross Juan, let alone hack into his phone."Get the tech department on this immediately," he said. "I want to know who's behind this.""Yes, sir," Joe replied, hurriedly taking the phone and scurrying out of the office.Juan's heart pounded like a drum in his chest, a sense of foreboding washing over him.He snatched the car keys from his desk and rushed out. He sped through the city streets, his mind racing faster than the powerful engine of his sports car.Bursting through the front door, he found Melody and Hester having dinner in the grand living room.Debra was nowhere to be seen.Melody looked up and frowned at his disheveled appearance. "Juan, don't you have a meeting at the company today? Why are you back so early?""Where's Debra?" Juan asked.Hester's expression flickered, a mix of unease and guilt flashing across her face. Melody, however, remained nonchalant. "Who knows which man she might be meeting up with? You're supposed to keep her
The breaking news of Debra's kidnapping instantly dominated the trending charts.Erica, lounging at home with the news playing in the background, was jolted upright by the headline that flashed across the screen.She wondered aloud, 'Debra was kidnapped? Who did it?'Her phone rang, and she snatched it up to see Randy's call."Hello? Randy, listen to me..." she started anxiously."Debra was kidnapped?" What answered her was not Randy, but Marion's deep and steady voice."I just saw the news," Erica replied. "I don't know if it's true. When are you coming back?"Debra had been staying with the Nichols family, and Erica wasn't privy to the details of the arrangement with Juan. They had kept their distance to maintain Debra's secret identity as the McKinney Group's president. And now such a thing had happened."Marion? Marion, are you there?" Erica pressed the phone to her ear, but only silence echoed back.She was at a loss, having not faced such a situation before. After a whil
In response to Shelia's barking, the one on the other end of the phone sneered, "The one we've taken is Juan's wife. The ransom we can demand from him is far higher than what you'd pay for a mere hit job. Thanks to the address you provided, we found Juan's home."Shelia paled at his words, and the man added, "But don't you worry, if Juan pays the ransom, we'll clean up this mess for you. If he doesn't, we'll still handle it. Just a matter of time.""You can't do this," Shelia protested. "Once you contact Juan, he'll stop at nothing to find out who you are, and then I'll be exposed."She knew how resourceful Juan was. It wouldn't take him long to figure out who the kidnappers were, and he'd certainly trace it back to her.Even if Debra died, her dream of entering high society would be shattered."That's not our problem," the man snorted. "We're just doing our job and making a little extra on the side.""No, how can you do this?" Shelia shouted frantically, but the line was already
Usually, victims would scream or beg for their lives upon waking, but Debra was different. She showed no sign of fear."Juan's woman is truly extraordinary," the leader sneered, grasping Debra's chin and tilting her face up. "Quite the pretty face too."Debra met his gaze steadily. "Don't bother trying to scare me. You won't do anything until you get your ransom."The three men were clearly seasoned criminals, and they had a code they followed.The leader released Debra's chin and shrugged. "True, but if someone else pays us to kill you after we get Juan's money, we'll do just that. You're a dead woman either way. We might as well enjoy the fun."Debra chuckled, her lack of fear irritating the leader. "What's so funny?" he growled."I'm laughing at how naïve you are," Debra replied coolly. "Do you know who Juan is? And who I am? Can you guarantee you'll safely get the money and escape by boat? You can't. And if you touch me, Juan will hunt you down. You know what he'll do to you
"Sir..." Joe tried to advise again.Juan cut him off. "Nothing is more important than Debra's life. Do you understand?"Joe swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."He swiftly ordered their men to unload bundles of cash from the trunk. Aboard the boat, one of the kidnappers pressed a knife against Debra's neck. They climbed to the highest deck, and one of them shouted, "Bring all the money up here. Don't try anything foolish, or we'll kill her."Joe instructed the bodyguards, saying, "Get all the money up there."The bodyguards sprang into action, carrying bundle after bundle of cash onto the boat. Debra watched coldly.Once the last bundle was on board, Joe used a megaphone to declare, "You've got the money. Let her go."The kidnappers tore open the bundles, their eyes widening at the sight of the crisp bills."Alright, let her go," instructed the leader with a grin.Hidden in a secluded corner of the shore, Shelia watched with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. Suddenly, the boat's eng
In the stillness of the night, Juan returned home and booted open the gate.The commotion roused Melody from her sleep. With Hester's assistance, she made her way to the living room, where she saw a gloomy Juan.She wrinkled her brows and asked, "Is anything wrong?""You come over!" Juan stepped forward and grabbed Hester roughly.His furious look caused her to gasp in fear. "Juan, what are you doing?""Don't call me that!" Juan snapped. "How could you be so malicious? Did you replace that $10 billion?"Hester desperately shook her head. "It has nothing to do with me. Please, you must believe me.""Believe you?" Juan narrowed his eyes. "Debra fell into the sea, and she's still missing. If she's dead, I'll make your family pay."Hester's face turned ashen, and Melody stepped in. "Enough!"Taking a deep breath, she continued, "This has nothing to do with Hester. She didn't have the authority to change the money. It was my decision."Juan staggered back, as if struck by an unsee
"No biggie. I'm just that sharp," Randy grinned."Don't flatter yourself." Erica smacked his arm, turning to Debra. "If that's the play, we'll set up around the valley early.""We scoped it out last time. Here's the terrain map Marion roughed out. Memorize the basics, just in case," Debra said.Jordan spoke up. "I'll plant people inside to learn the lay. If things go down, we'll back each other up."He paused, frowning. "But we've only got one path. Without the full picture, it's still risky.""Got it here," a voice called from the door.Everyone turned to see Theda walking in with Robert. A map was in her hand."It's you guys." Debra was surprised.Theda had been busy with her business. She barely had time to breathe, not to mention show up there."This mess is huge. If the Illuminati takes Seamar City, my business is done," Theda said.She'd seen Jeffery's crazy side. The Illuminati couldn't be anything good.She unrolled the map and stuck it on the board. "This is the val
Liza eased up, knowing Debra was always faithful.She would help if she said so."Is the Illuminati really that bad?" Liza asked, having never seen Fermin cornered like that."Yeah," Debra said flat-out.Liza fought back her tears. "I'm not as smart as you guys, but if I can help...""You've done plenty," Debra said, patting her head.The once-bratty lady had grown into someone brave and kind. They'd all seen her change.But this was too risky. They couldn't bet on her life."Everything's set," Marion said, striding in with Jordan.Liza blinked at their suits. They looked solemn, as if ready for a last stand.Debra nodded. "Alright, let's go over everyone's setup and run through the plan."Randy wheeled in a blackboard that showed the outskirts map.The Four Great Families had owned Seamar City for ages. Their eyes and ears were on every corner.They'd linked up north, south, east, and west, with Juan's lines tied in.According to intel, the Illuminati hadn't sunk deep ro
"Just listen to me and go," Fermin said, pulling his hand free.The next thing she knew, he yanked her toward the emergency exit."Fermin!" she yelped.The restaurant staff, loyal to Fermin, hustled her into the stairwell. By the time the guards outside caught on, she was gone."Get her," the guards barked.If Liza slipped away, Michael would have their heads. But before they could chase, Fermin's crew boxed them in."You know what this means?" one guard spat, dropping all politeness.They knew he was just a puppet. If he broke free, Bert's life would be done."Kill them," Fermin ordered, turning back to the restaurant.A waiter dropped a tray, the crash drowning out muffled screams from the stairwell.Liza was already in a cab. She tried to turn back, but a staffer blocked her. "Miss, you can't go anywhere but Seamar City. The Potter Mansion is your safest bet. Think of what Mr. Eaton's doing for you."Her stay overseas made her a hostage. While she was here, Fermin was lea
The driver hesitated but complied. "Sure, Mr. Eaton. How long do you plan to stay? There's a meeting this afternoon.""An hour," Fermin replied.From their conversation, Liza caught on that their family was under the Illuminati's thumb. The driver would not grill Fermin about his schedule otherwise."Who're you to butt in? He'll hang out with me for as long as he wants," she snapped.The driver bit back his gripes. "My bad. Sorry."Liza clung to Fermin's arm, heart pounding. She had been pampered her whole life, and her family had always been untouchable. She never imagined they'd be under someone else's boot.The car stopped by the mall. Liza and Fermin got out.When the guards tried to follow, she whirled. "My brother and I are going shopping. What're you tagging along for?""Protecting you and Mr. Eaton," one said.She opened her mouth to argue, but Fermin cut in. "They can carry bags for you."She hesitated. With these guards tagging along, they couldn't talk about the si
"Dad." Liza rushed to the bed, grabbing Bert's hand.In her mind, Bert was a stern old grump. He was always tough and sharp.But now, the illness had taken a toll on him. He had shrunk, and his hair had gone gray overnight.Fermin stood behind her, watching with pain.In fact, Bert had been ill for a while now. He had been grooming Fermin for years.But once he'd caught wind of Fermin's plans, Bert would rather kill him and trash their legacy than let him join the Illuminati.Fermin knew this day was coming. Liza didn't. Bert never wanted her to.She froze, feeling like his hand had twitched. She stopped crying and spun to Fermin."Did you see it? Dad moved..." she exclaimed.Fermin clapped a hand over her mouth, a move that confused her.He shook his head, warning her off. She nodded fast, signaling she'd keep quiet.Fermin checked the door and eased his hand off. "Dad's fine. Let's head home, alright?"Liza glanced at Bert with reluctance but wiped her tears. "Okay.""Co
Drake's mouth hung open, but no words came out."I swapped the drug for saline," Juan said. "You're on your own tonight. You've only had one dose, so there might still be a chance. If you don't wanna die here, suck it up. Don't let Kale die for nothing."Juan dropped that and left the room.Drake slumped on the bed. Old memories came flooding back, from their first meeting to their camaraderie. They had been through thick and thin together.If it hadn't been for him, Kale wouldn't have been dead....In the hospital, Liza kept watch outside the ICU where Bert lay.Two black-suited guards blocked the door. Even after surgery, they wouldn't let her in."When can I see him?" she asked, clenching her fists.The guards stood like statues, ignoring her."That's my dad," she shouted, pounding their chests. "I need to be with him. Move. Get out of my way.""Stop it." Fermin strode up, grabbing her swinging fist. "You're an Eaton. Act like it."He turned and slapped a guard hard. "Y
Juan arrived at a villa on Seamar City's outskirts. It was where Drake was locked up.It was pitch black in the room, with only a bed. The windows were nailed shut.The moment Drake handed over the stone, he'd guessed his fate. The Illuminati had rules for traitors: the blessing ritual.But that "blessing" was just injecting their latest drug into turncoats. They would be used as free guinea pigs. Death was the best outcome. Surviving meant real torture.It didn't hurt. Rather, it felt like heaven. That was why they called it a blessing."When did they shoot you up with that stuff?" Juan asked.Drake leaned back on the bed, nonchalant. "I gave them the stone. It doesn't matter to you. Just give me the drug."By night, he was a mess.The stuff could ease the pain for an hour. Then hell would kick in. Once the cravings hit, it felt like ants gnawing his bones.The pain wired into his nerves. At its worst, he'd bash the wall, tempted to bite his tongue off.He couldn't leave wit
To the bishop, Debra and her crew were small fry.A hundred years ago, the Four Great Families might've been untouchable. But now? Their roots were shaky.The Illuminati, on the other hand, had grown unstoppable.For the stone, he'd see them and let them feel the Illuminati's might. It was something callows like them couldn't touch."Tell them I pick the time and place," he said. "Get the stone ready. If it's fake, they'll get the harshest punishment from God.""Yes, Master," Michael replied, turning to leave.Lara stood up to protest, "I'm against this. We should take the chance to wipe them out and take their assets."In her mind, the four families were nothing. When they could snatch what they wanted, there was no need for deals or games."God spares all," the bishop muttered. "I'll give them a shot to live. If they bow, why kill them?"Lara fell silent, but Frederic stepped out of the shadows. He asked, "What about the stone Drake gave us?""Only one of the two stones is
Night settled in deep.Debra and the crew were still waiting for Michael's reply."Still nothing? They don't buy it, do they?" Erica paced, antsy."Give it time. They'll bite," Debra said, clutching her phone.She had promised Kale she would bring Drake back. No breaking that.A text finally pinged her phone. It was Michael.Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Like Debra said, the Illuminati couldn't rule out her having the real stone.If theirs was fake, Michael and his crew couldn't afford the fallout."Marion, it's on you now," Debra said.The Houston family had military muscle on tap. The Potter family owned elite guards and intel. Erica and Randy were solid backups.But this meeting? Debra had to go herself."Does it have to be now? Maybe wait till you're healed?" Erica said.Debra shook her head. "Drake is at risk every day he's with them. I can't take that chance. Just like they can't risk us holding the stone.""She's right," Randy jumped in. "Drag this out, and who